Meeting a friend in an unlikely way
by Seacret4
Summary: Bored out of his mind, Andrew wanders off the beaten path at the Botanical Gardens anuual holding of night of 1000 jackolanters. Little does he know he’ll earn a life long friend that he can’t get rid of. OCs. Will possibly increase to M rating for later chapters. Please Read and Review
1. Curiosity Never Killed the Cat Right?

**_Chapter one: The beginning_**

Andrew was bored out of his mind. The line for looking at the giant carved pumpkins at the Chicago botanical gardens seemed to to never. It was the gardens special _NIGHT OF 1000 JACK-O-LANTERNS._

Earlier in the week, his mom had told him that she had a spare pair of ticket or two and was wondering what his plans were. Long story short, he didn't get a choice.

Reminiscing wasn't helping to ease the doldrum. In front of him a group of twenty somethings were taking their sweet time admiring a pumpkin that had two black cats facing a moon with their two tails crossing to make a heart.

Andrew pulled his hoodie up and pulled the zipper on his leather jacket up higher, trying to get out of the cold wind that had been plaguing the garden. Hunkered down, he swiftly took a quick look at the pumpkin the twenty's were ogling at.

"Dolphins? Really?" Was all he could think, he had already passed more interesting pumpkins. Snapping a quick pic before moving on. He had the left the group of adult family friends and parents early on. Wanting nothing but to get through the path and be done with it. However, just before he was out of earshot; his father reminded him that he didn't have a set of keys for the car and wouldn't be able to go and warm up inside there while the rest of them finished the trail.

So, faced with a group of jabbering adults or solitude, it wasn't a hard choice. The 17 year old went ahead determined to put as much distance between himself and his parents.

Andrew didn't have a bad relationship with his parents, far from it as an only child with loving parents, he often considered himself blesses, but college discussions had a way of placing resentment and stress on normal.

His mom wanted him to apply to more colleges closer to school, fearing that he wasn't ready for being a planes ride away from home, however Andrew often argued that Skype or a phone call would be enough for most problems. His dad, well, he just wanted him to do better in school and stay on-top if his study's. Nothing outrageous, but that didn't mean his father couldn't annoy the crap out of him.

Shaking his head, Andrew kept on walking, making his way towards the bridge that lead to the island with a shop, hot chocolate and a live working pumpkin carver.

Crossing the bridge, which spanned 200ft, Andrew cast his eyes around. On his right was water leading to the main lake with the lighter water fountain in the center casting spray into the air. Past that, the main entrance and parking lot were just out of sight.

To his left, there wasn't much to see, it appeared that the edge of the area he just left curved away and behind him. But he could make out a very small set of docks with railings peaking out. Secluded by evergreens, your average person would easily miss it.

Thankfully Andrew wasn't average in that regard, being an old soul, he appreciated his surrounding, especially nature; taking note of the small things, one might call him highly observant.

Taking a mental note to check it out if he could, he went to the island, his only option considering the bridge was split into two lanes. One for going to island and one for heading to the mainland.

Rapidly turning the horn as he like to think of it, he made his way to the next exhibit. A new pumpkin showed a heart framing the words "monster love".

"Great, now what are we gonna have here? Two wolves howling at the moon or something? Pft. Count me out."

Grumbling under his breath, he sped on past the pumpkins. Only for one to caught his eyes. So far, all of the paths that led away from the main trail were either blocked off by cones or had security personal politely smiling and standing around.

But this was different, in-front of him lay a cross road. On the left, there was a pathway but it was blocked off, he noticed that all the added lights power cords lead that direction. Ahead of him lay a tent, upon closer inspection, it held a few more live carvers in action. Talking about their creations and how long it took them to complete it. The 70/80 lbs pumpkins held the faces of dragons, daemon heads with horns and so forth.

However, on his right was an archway. You could put a pickup truck with an eight foot bed parked between it long wide and still have a little room. The bronze place that was to the right side, read " _Bulb garden_ ".

Though what he really was interested in was the fact that off to the left of a tree, and hidden in between dying shrubs; there were stairs leading down. It was so well hidden, at first he thought it was a maintenance path.

Remembering his mental note, Andrew took off down the stairs.

Time had cut the stairs for they had been there for centuries. The enchantment encompassing the bulbs garden allowed everyone to ignore the stairs. It was a deflection enchantment, and there inlaid the problem.

If someone had something on their mind it directed them away, they would never have know it existed in the first place. However if someone didn't have anything on their mind, which was hardly the case given cell phones and 21st century stresses as well as the misconception of multitasking. It worked perfectly well.

But Andrew was bored out of his mind with nothing passing through. Now it wasn't that he didn't have any worries. His family was struggling to figure out how to pay for college. Not to mention his AP physics honors class was anything but hell. Work was a pain too but a necessary evil to obtain cash.

Nevertheless he was able to relax, and separate his "work" life separate from his personal life. That he managed to stay sane so when he breached the enchantment. Something had their interest piqued.

Admiring the surroundings Andrew took not of just how many shrubs and plants were still showing signs of life. However, because the moon was overcast and the lights lighting the pumpkin trail were behind the wall. Everything had an eerie subtitles to it. Just something off.

"So this is how I get to the docks. It sure is out of the way. I wonder how many people come down here."

Still appreciating the garden, he noticed that most of the signs that most of the identifying signs used to tell guest what each plant or tree was were in a different language, with shapes thrown in with letters.

"Maybe this was suppose to be part of haunt or something and they never finished it?"

One plant caught his eye. It's too was shaped like a cone with a thin stem leading to it appeared to be swaying by its self, the wall stopping the wind in its track.

Squatting, Andrew was able to see that the pestles had so kind of colored stars on them. Knowing his mom might know what kind of plant this was, he pulled his phone out and took a picture. It was a decision that made his life thereafter.

As his phone flashed in the low light, the cone petals opened up to display a gaping moth that sprayed a liquid all over Andrew's hands and a little bit got into his left eye.

"Argh! What the hell is thissss thin~~" his words died in his throat as he collapsed to the onto the stairs. His phone falling from his grasp and falling to the stairs.

Andrew's unconscious body rolled around the bend in the stairs and stopped at the foot of the lake. His left index finger just millimeters away from disrupting the glass surface of the lake.

However, from the center of the lake, a blue figure arose from the abyss and strife over to the fallen boy. Piercing ice colored eyes followed by flowing midnight blue locks and propelled by long legs, the Spector was simply a blue rose in terms of beauty.

Looking at him she noticed that the inflicted areas were spouting makes of their own, penticsla and other old languages sprouted across the boy's body.

She knew he would die if she did not help him. She also knew it was forbidden and frowned upon and that this boy, barely a man would be able to lead a completely normal life. The stars were the only witness as the blue bodied spectator made he decision.

A/N just trying something that popped into my head revving up to Halloween. Please RR

Peace


	2. Notice from the author 1112018

Hey y'all, just wanted to give u a heads up. School and life are bitches that demand attention. I plan to have the next chapter come out soon.

Seacret4

11/01/2018 Peace


	3. Cahpter 2

**_Chapter Two: Waking up_**

Andrew couldn't tell if he was happy to be awake or not. His body was freezing and his left eye throbbed. A indicators that he wasn't dead. He could barely see, his eyes watering from the pain in his left eye. All he could see was the overcast sky and the waxing gibbous moon blocking out the stars.

Though the teenager wasn't allowed to dwell for long; The sound of sweet poison dropped into his ear, placing his soul on edge.

"Human, how do you feel? I removed the poison that was spreading through your body. However, I could do nothing about the curses placed upon you in conjunction to the poison."

Rolling onto his left side, his left hand delved into the lake. The water went up to the middle of Andrew's forearm.

Screaming like a banshee," Holly fucking, sweet mother of dam that's cold!" Andrew clutched his shoulder as he got up to his knees and ran his right arm up and down his frozen side.

Chuckling the voice continued,

"Well that's certainly some colorful language boy. Now, what is your name?"

Andrew finally looked around him, his eyes had stopped watering when his arm plunged into the lake. Andrew swiveled his head trying to look over his left shoulder overseeing Nothing he started to get up and turn to his right.

But as soon as he got to a crouch, his legs gave out, causing him to practically face plant. Andrew's face was bright red, he hated feeling weak, it brought up bad memories, memories he'd love to put a match to and burn. However he finally was able to locate the vice that he had been searching for, and it push his eyes wide open.

Trying to keep his boner from showing, Andrew's eyes followed the two blue feet sent ripples across the lakes surface. The blue skinned feet were attached were toned, and firm. They disappeared quickly beneath the raven midnight fabric of a knee length skirt. The woman's hips were subtle, making it difficult to tell where the end of the corset ended and the skirt began. Like the skirt the corset was the color of raven midnight, the leather hugging her body and pushing up a delectable pair of breasts. The corset making a nice show.

The leather split underneath them and wove its way up the outsides of her assets, leaving the top and centers bare. The only thing that surrounded the C-34 cup breasts by Andrew's guess; he was a teenage boy after all; was very enticing silver belts that crisscrossed the entire corset. Making a web of sliver wrap itself around her. The corset, unlike the skirt, which was plane, her top attire was adorned with ornate metal work woven in with the fabric, that was gleaming in the what little moon light could penetrate the overcast sky.

Draped across her shoulders and clasped around her neck was, for lack of better words a red velvet colored cape. Underneath the claps was a chocked necklace that had some kind of gleaming silver pendant that Andrew just couldn't quite make out what it was.

Lastly, lush lips and flowing locks the color of darkness captured The boy, all thoughts frozen in place by her icicle blue eyes. On the top of her head a pair of ice blue horns, the tips encased in silver. The horns split so each one made a V flowing straight back, the bottom one curving towards the earth and the top sloping towards the sky.

NYX knew she had beauty, past encounters had made that very clear. But she had never had anyone stare so openly at her. The boy's jaw was practically on the floor, and his eyes were locked to her. Smiling, NYX decided to try one more time at starting a conversation.

"Hello there human, my name is NYX. What is your name?" She politely calling out to him, thawing his mind just enough to give this beauty a response.

"I'm~ my name is, god your beautiful; Andrew." NYX couldn't help but burst out laughing. Her side were bursting from the total blunder before her. Now completely unthawed by the warm laughter flowing into his ears, Andrew began to think.

He knew he went down the stairs and had tried to take a picture, but he was sprayed by the plant and...

"How the hell did I get down to the lake, I wasn't even at the halfway point." Andrew wondered aloud. He looked towards the women standing on a lake, she said she was a Spector, so did that mean?

"Um excuse me Ms. uh, NYX?" Andrew tentviy spoke out, "Am I, dead?"

"No Andrew, you're not dead. Though if you hadn't made such a ruckus I probably wouldn't have even noticed that you were dying." Andrew instinctively went silent, though not fully grasping what NYX was saying.

Racking his brain Andrew tried to put what would cause him to be near death. Falling down some stairs couldn't kill me? Right? So then the only thing that I don't know is...

"The plant!" Andrew exclaimed, "That's what nearly killed me?"

"Yes Andrew, you were exposed to the poison and the curses inside the PROHIBITOS AUTEM SCIENTIAM (Latin: forbidden knowledge), though, I can't fathom why it would attack you." NYX informed the boy. "Unfortunately, by attacking you, it had to give up its own life. And it was so close to pollination too. It would have made a fine breed." NYX casually wondered aloud. Her icicle eyes flicking to Andrew questioningly.

"It's normally a very docile plant at night, able to kill a rhino, I could understand if this was during the day but..." NYX left the sentence fall to the glass surface of the lake. Lifting a slender blue finger with a silver ring on it, up to her chin, and tilting her head to the side as she thought. Andrew was completely smitten...with guilt.

He knew why the plant attacked him, his flash. If it could blind him practically for a few minutes when someone took a photo, he couldn't imagine what it could do to a light sensitive plant.

Adding more to the cursing guilt was the fact that he had let an entire breed of plant die. While it was a deadly breed but still. To have wiped it off the face of the earth by a simple lack of knowledge...

However, one thing bugged him, if that small PROHIBI ATM SCI-whatever could kill a rhino. How the hell was he alive? That would have to have to come later, first though, he had to apologize to NYX for whipping a species off the planet.

Meanwhile, NYX was wondering if her gamble was going to be a blunder, the curse and enchantment were forbidden for a reason, and she prayed she had made the right decision. She knew that the boy had, from lack of knowledge, killed the plant by accident. What she didn't tell Andrew was that they had spare seeds on hand Incase something happened to any of their plants. What she was doing right now was testing the boys character.

Finished having an inner crisis, Andrew pipped up, determined to do the right thing.

"Excuse me Ms. NYX~"

"NYX will do just fine Andrew, I'm not old enough for such formalities." NYX interjected playfully, a small smile cross her face as she kept her head tilted, ready to hear what kind of character Andrew had.

"Sorry NYX, I think I may have accidentally killed your plant," Andrew started again.

"I had never seen anything like it before so I tried to take a picture of it, my camera flashed and I think your plant got agitated, that's why it sprayed me with the poison." Andrew cast his eyes to the ground.

"I'm sorry I killed the last of its species, is there anyway you could~" NYX put up her hand, stopping Andrew. She had raised her body to stand at full height and had begun to walk to the lakes edge.

She had heard enough. NYX quietly sighed inwardly, her gamble had appeared to pay off. However, her features portrayed what she knew was probably going to be a crushing moment. NYX could only hope that Andrew would be more happy to be alive then to find out he was eternally linked to a specter.

"Andrew I forgive you, however there is something you must first know. Please come with me." NYX blue toes finally touched the bricks of the garden, making her shudder. The October air had made the bricks bone chilling cold and for her bare feet, they began to freeze. Stopping less than a foot in-front of Andrew.

He could finally appreciate her beauty up close and personal. His boner from earlier ached and his eyes felt very heavy; it took all of him will power not to look. Instead, he admired the silver pendant attached to the choker around her neck. It appeared to be a medieval crest, similar to what a night would paint on his shield to represent the kingdom he served.

NYX's was shaped similarly to an arrow. The bottom coming to a point with a shallow curve straightening out to a line, the top was sanded to a rounded curve. However what caught Andrew's eye the most was that it appeared to be broken in half. The entire right side was missing, leaving a jagged edge remaining.

Her cloak flowing behind her, NYX turned to Andrew's right and began walking along the shoreline.

Glued to the spot for an instance, Andrew had never been near to a beautiful woman. Sure his school had female students her were well endowed; however that was sex appeal. NYX had beauty, in all honestly, Andrew couldn't describe what the difference was. All he knew was that NYX was the on a whole different level from his schools' usual female students.

Snapping out of his inner monologue, Andrew ran to catch up to the specter, who had traveled down to the start of the docks that Andrew had noticed earlier when he was on the bridge to the concessions and live pumpkin carver.

Catching up, Andrew stood behind NYX as she slowly began to walk on the dock, muttering under her breath. Old languages began to flow through the air and swirl around Andrew and NYX. At first, Andrew thought the languages were French or Portuguese. But under closer inspection, it appeared to be Latin; mixed in was also languages that were spelled in runes. Like those he had seen watching the Lord of the Ring and the Hobbit. But besides that, what amounted him the most was the fact that he could understand what they were saying.

Personally Andrew was both in awe and weirded out, sure he had taken French for his first two years in high school, with the Evidence based reporting system, he was able to scrape out a B-. While he hated the grading system because it was shit and was pissed that the school's top brass had made the decision to goo 100% EBR based grading. He had never taken Latin and he sure as hell had never looked up how to read Runes on the internet.

Tapping on NYX's shoulder to get her attention Andrew cautiously spoke.

"Uh, NYX quick question." Andrew looked around nervously at the Latin and the runes. Still not entirely comfortable seeing them, let alone being able to read them.

"What is it Andrew?" NYX asked over her shoulder as she continued to walk forward on the dock before taking a quick right. She prayed that the two of them would arrive before anyone else began to decide where she was. Most of those that knew her also knew that she came to the garden at night when her mind was troubled.

"NYX, that plant, PROHIBITOS AUTEM SCIENTIAM, besides the poison, did it do anything else to me? Cause I'm seeing Latin and runes flying around us." Spoke out load. Okay that's a little weird, I couldn't even spit out the first word not two seconds ago. Eh, it's probably nothing. Andrew thought to himself

Now it was NYX's turn to be worried. His condition is progressing faster then she had expected. I have to get him to the tree. NOW, was the only thought running through her mind

"Yes." She shoot over her shoulder, she quickened her pace. Now if they were discovered...things would be complicated. She continued to lead Andrew through the maze of docks and as the two sounded by the glowing letters walked, the slight mist behind them slowly became a fog. As the wind picked up and blew it away. There was no trace of either in the small, quiet, and strange garden.


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Marching on

"NYX, holdup, my legs aren't as long as yours. And what do you mean, Yes?" Andrew struggled to keep up. Practically jogging to stay right behind NYX. She was speed walking at this point. Another turn and Andrew nearly fell into the lake.

"Wa~Woah!" Andrew cried out loud his arms flailing around trying to regain his balance. His flailing, however was futile. Just when his body was about to break the smooth surface of the lake. Cool hands gripped his left wrist and yanked him back to the safety of the dock. With both feet on firm ground, NYX held onto him, making sure that he wouldn't fall onto his ass encase he lost his strength from shock.

"You fool, you could have, MMMMPH!" NYX seethed with irritation. Spinning on her heel, NYX stormed off; her feet plodding along the deck was the only sound in the quiet night. NYX's quick pace slowed back to what it was before soon however. Though Andrew wasn't able to tell weather it was out of consideration or her being lost in thought.

As Andrew followed her, he couldn't get the sight of NYX's eyes out of his mind. They were scared, frightened might have been a better word to describe her eyes. Andrew just couldn't figure it out, more importantly; what was he doing?

Andrew could see floating Latin and runes flying all around him as well as a beautiful BLUE woman who had saved his life. He had no idea how long he had been unconscious, it could've been a few minutes or a few hours before he had regained consciousness. It was almost comical how much the scenario reminded him of the countless fan fictions he had read.

While on that train of thought, his heart began to throb. What about his parents?Andrew felt guilty that he hadn't even thought of his parents till then. They must have been worried. Just as he was about to reach for his phone, Andrew ran right up the back of NYX.

"Oomph!" He said into the back of NYX cape. Regaining his footing, his exclamation dying in his throat when he saw what was before him. NYX turned around an moved out of Andrew line of sight. In front of Andrew stood a massive weeping willow, but what made this special was the fact that it was glowing yellow and its roots were pouring into the lake, something Andrew knew shouldn't be possible.

"Andrew, this is Salem, my peoples'..." NYX's brain searched for a better way to describe what stood before him.

"The most simple comparison that you would understand is that Salem is our head elder of sorts. He is also our most knowable healer and a type of librarian as well." NYX nodded her head in respect towards the tree, before walking up from behind Andrew. She placed her hands on his shoulder and stood to his side.

"Salem, I want to introduce you to Andrew, he was poisoned by the PROHIBITOS AUTEM SCIENTIA. As you can see, we've undergone the ANIMA VINCULUM (Latin: soul bond). I know its been forbi~" NYX rapid response interrupted.

"Why would you go so far to save a human NYX?" The tree spoke, it sounded as if the entire air around them shook with the deep bass Andrew had only ever herd at concerts. He could feel the voice deep within his chest, all the way down to his bones. It utterly frightened him. But what WORRIED him was when he felt NYX's muscles clench and unclench.

NYX was utterly terrified, Salem had the ability to turn them both to dust or to spare their lives. She just had to hope that the boy was able to withstand Salem, she knew he was going to test him. It was what her ancestors did when they preformed the ANIMA INCULUM.

"Come closer. Boy." Salem's voice resounded again. All of NYX's inner dialogue stopped as her blood ran cold. This was it, this was the moment of truth. It was either death or salvation, ri~

"Excuse me, Salem, but my name is Andrew, not boy." Andrew stopped Salem with such sass that NYX had to double check that the boy in her hands was the same. The look on his face was one of no "Bull shit". Andrew hated it when people didn't treat others with respect, if they weren't gonna treat him with respect, then he was going to shoot it right back at them.

Shrugging off NYX's hands gently, Andrew straightened his back and rolled his shoulders back, making his body look as sturdy and large as possible before Salem. Stepping right up to the very edge of the giant tree. Andrew threw open his arms.

"I'm here, not what do you want?" A boisterous smile on his face. He turned his head back to NYX who had stayed behind and shot her a look of what he was really feeling. Nervous, a soft smile and carding eyes. Before she could process what she saw, Andrew turned around again.

He had to keep up the act, he'd done this a few times before, through up an act to make others feel better. But this time, it was for his own benefit as well. He was in a whole new environment and while he knew next to nothing, his gut told him that if he didn't calm down NYX and impress Salem somehow; things were not going to end well.

"Your manners are deplorable." Salem said, his voice dripping with mild amusement. This human was already interesting to him, for it had been quiet sometime since one had come into the spiritual domain. He might as well examine the modern human and evaluate whether NYX and this "Andrew" should live.

"Before we go anywhere else, I need your permission to conduct an evaluation." Salem spoke with reserved contempt, trying to get to the fun part as soon as possible. He always loved how unsuspecting humans were, in the past, the men thought they would have to display their strength, for women their beauty. But in reality it was neither. Andrew's response however through the ancient tree for a loop.

"What are you gonna grab me by some weird magic force slash branches and probe my brain and all that Jazz? Then go ahead, I don't care anyhow." Andrew crossed his arms to make his point. He was bluffing of course, but when a magical being asked for permission to do anything that wasn't hostile. It often meant a brain peek. At least, that's how most of the movies and books went.

"It is not a 'brain probe'." Salem said flabbergasted, though of course the boy was spot on.

"Yeah yeah, and I'm not talking to a magic tree. Let's just get this over with" Andrew's sarcasm was thicker then honey. But Salem quickly recovered from the jab. Regaining his composer, stated to prepare.

The floating letters that had been sounding NYX and Andrew at random started to form sentences, paragraphs. Andrew could just make out Salem mumbling something in the air but before he could focus on it, the sentences froze.

But before Andrew was able to read them, all the words flew straight towards him. Letting out a yelp from the sudden barrage, he threw up his hands instinctively; But they did little in the way of protecting him. As the letters whipped around and around in a blurry maelstrom, the flew onto and slowly began to dissolve beneath the skin.

NYX watched and sent up a silent prayer, few people survived Salem's test, even if they had training. Even if they didn't, Salem often gave them a moment of composes before assisting them. This time everything was different.

No warning, no explanation, Salem was just brutal. As NYX watched on, she sent up a silent prayer as Andrew Crashed to the ground.


End file.
